Lisa Caplan

If you are in the market for an attractive, straightforward, note pad, ActionNotes is worth checking out. Sometimes less is more.

Luxor: Amun Rising is a gorgeous iOS port that should please existing fans. The gameplay is great and it's true to the original. The question is, with so many fresh action-puzzlers, will it still feed your game-crave?

Max and The Magic Marker (available separately for iPhone and iPad), is one of the most innovative new games of 2011. It's part platformer, part puzzler, and magical fun for all ages. It's also the best console port since World Of Goo.

There are a slew of Easter egg decorating apps available now. Can Paint Easter Egg HD stand out in the crowd? I think so, what about you?

There is finally a new universal Doodle Jump game. Doodle Jump: HOP the Movie. It's fun, cute and free, but will it appeal to fans out of short pants?

If you prefer do-it-all apps to multiple task-specific apps, iWill HD can effectively fill many of your productivity as well as entertainment and news needs. It’s worth checking out.

MommyCal bring graphic reminders to moms with much to do. Can it help manage even your crazy life?

SwipeTapTap is part Simon says, part Fruit Ninja, part Bop It! But it's also a one of a kind game. It is climbing the App Store charts rapidly and getting a lot of buzz, but does it live up to the hype? We're also giving away promo codes to win a free copy!

Booooly! was a major newcomer to the match-three puzzle genre last year. But, in 2011, is Booooly! HD in 2011 a premium puzzler? You be the judge.

Dish Break is a casual swipe and tap game where shattering every plate in the kitchen is a good thing. Dish Break is simple; just break everything that pops up, dishes, bowls, glass pitchers, if it’s breakable, break it. Warning: addiction potential.

Bally Midway’s classic title, known as [Root Beer] Tapper, has had many incarnations since its debut in 1983. But in all its previous incarnations it has never looked as good, or played so well. It's tapper-tapping fun!

Share Board is a feature-rich, simple to use, creative collaboration app suited for everything from business to playing games and more. There is great attention to detail and an obvious desire to make a superior product. Share Board will inspire you to create and collaborate in ways you have yet to imagine.

This is an app intended for those who find they don’t need all the options of a full-featured time management app, just a simple view of the upcoming week and what must get done. But, does it live up to its claims?

The Going to Bed Book for iPad is an interactive preschool book done the right way. Nothing from the original book is lost; there are just enough objects to touch, and animated effects to admire, to keep any kid (and parent) entertained.

Frogs vs Insects HD is a casual game with a simple premise. The frog must eat everything it sees; largely spiders. The game’s concept is simple, and there is no learning curve to start playing, but regrettably that’s where the good news ends.

Little Speller is not a game, it’s an edu-app, and a good one too. It is colorful, well thought out, and just interactive enough to engage the techie preschool set.

Alice in New York, while clearly inspired by Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There is not so much a sequel to Wonderland as it is a mash-up. The beloved Carroll cast of misanthropes are dropped into the hustle and bustle of the big city. Atomic Antelope delivers an e-book that is just plain fun.

Vermeer HD, is the gold standard for art appreciation apps. The GUI is great, and the developers get everything just right. It's the ideal viewing experience for any art lover.

Apple has redesigned a classic Mac application that looks as good as, and possibly even better, on iOS than its OS X counterpart. It’s an app that was just waiting for a touchscreen interface. It's iPad 2 ready, sure to be blazingly fast, and an instant classic.

Brought to you by former Scholastic Books execs, The Three Little Pigs - Nosy Crow Interactive Storybook is one of the most original and clever kid-lit offerings in the App Stre. Check out the review and the video!

MosaicHD is more toy than app, and a must-have edu-app for parents looking for smart, guilt-free screen-time for their little learners. It is the rare educational app that encourages patience along with learning and will engage every member of your family.

Talking 3D Lab Mat takes the whole "talking-back" app genre to a new level with real time 3D animation, morphing and voice changing. If you have a kid, or a funny bone you will find it monstrously good fun.

Gustav Klimt once said, “All art is erotic.” If he was referring to his own symbolistic style it’s certainly true more often than not. Klimt Calendar HD ambitiously tries to blend the fine arts and productivity, but does it work?